2012 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV engine

Black plate (69,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
Driving and Operating 9-69Operating the vehicle in Tow/Haul
when lightly loaded or with no trailer
at all will not cause damage.
However, there is no benefit to the
selection of Tow/Haul when the
vehicle is unloaded. Such a
selection when unloaded may result
in unpleasant engine and
transmission driving characteristics
and reduced fuel economy. Tow/
Haul is recommended only when
pulling a heavy trailer or a large or
heavy load. Trailer Sway
Control (TSC) Non-hybrid vehicles with StabiliTrak
have a Trailer Sway Control (TSC)
feature. If the vehicle is towing a
trailer and the system detects that
the trailer is swaying, the vehicle
brakes are applied without the driver
pressing the brake pedal. The TCS/
StabiliTrak warning light will flash on
the instrument panel cluster to notify
the driver to reduce speed. If the
trailer continues to sway, StabiliTrak
will reduce engine torque to help
slow the vehicle. See StabiliTrak ®
System on page 9 ‑ 37 for more
information.
Adding non ‐ dealer accessories can
affect the vehicle performance. See
Accessories and Modifications on
page 10 ‑ 3 for more information.Conversions and
Add-Ons Add-On Electrical
Equipment Notice: Do not add anything
electrical to the vehicle unless
you check with your dealer first.
Some electrical equipment can
damage the vehicle and the
damage would not be covered by
the vehicle's warranty. Some
add-on electrical equipment can
keep other components from
working as they should.
Add-on equipment can drain the
vehicle's 12 ‐ volt battery, even if the
vehicle is not operating.
The vehicle has an airbag system.
Before attempting to add anything
electrical to the vehicle, see
Servicing the Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle on page 3 ‑ 38 and Adding
Equipment to the Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle on page 3 ‑ 38 .

Black plate (1,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
Vehicle Care 10-1
Vehicle Care General Information General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
California Proposition 65
Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements . . . . 10-3
Accessories and
Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Vehicle Checks Doing Your Own
Service Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Engine Compartment
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-6
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-7
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . 10-9
Automatic Transmission
Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-10
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . 10-13
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-15 Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . 10-19
Overheated Engine
Protection
Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Engine Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Power Steering Fluid . . . . . . . 10-22
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-24
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . 10-30
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Ignition Transmission Lock
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . 10-31
Wiper Blade
Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-32
Glass Replacement . . . . . . . . 10-33 Headlamp Aiming Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Bulb Replacement Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-35
High Intensity Discharge
(HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
Back-Up Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . 10-37
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Electrical System Electrical System
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Fuses and Circuit
Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Engine Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Instrument Panel Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-43

Black plate (3,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
Vehicle Care 10-3
California Proposition 65
Warning Most motor vehicles, including this
one, contain and/or emit chemicals
known to the State of California to
cause cancer and birth defects or
other reproductive harm. Engine
exhaust, many parts and systems,
many fluids, and some component
wear by-products contain and/or
emit these chemicals.
California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements Certain types of automotive
applications, such as airbag
initiators, safety belt pretensioners,
and lithium batteries contained in
Remote Keyless Entry transmitters,
may contain perchlorate materials.
Special handling may be necessary.
For additional information, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/
perchlorate. Accessories and
Modifications Adding non ‐ dealer accessories or
making modifications to the vehicle
can affect vehicle performance and
safety, including such things as
airbags, braking, stability, ride and
handling, emissions systems,
aerodynamics, durability, and
electronic systems like antilock
brakes, traction control, and stability
control. These accessories or
modifications could even cause
malfunction or damage not covered
by the vehicle warranty. Damage to vehicle components
resulting from modifications or the
installation or use of non ‐ GM
certified parts, including control
module or software modifications, is
not covered under the terms of the
vehicle warranty and may affect
remaining warranty coverage for
affected parts.
GM Accessories are designed to
complement and function with other
systems on the vehicle. See your
dealer to accessorize the vehicle
using genuine GM Accessories
installed by a dealer technician.
Also, see Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on
page 3 ‑ 38 .

Black plate (6,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
10-6 Vehicle Care
Engine Compartment Overview 6.2L V8 Engine

Black plate (7,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
Vehicle Care 10-7A. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on
page 10 ‑ 13 .
B. Coolant Surge Tank and
Pressure Cap. See Cooling
System on page 10 ‑ 15 .
C. Remote Positive (+) Terminal.
See Jump Starting on
page 10 ‑ 88 .
D. Battery on page 10 ‑ 27 .
E. Remote Negative ( − ) Terminal
(Out of View). See Jump
Starting on page 10 ‑ 88 .
F. Automatic Transmission
Dipstick (Out of View). See
“ Checking the Fluid Level ”
under Automatic Transmission
Fluid on page 10 ‑ 10 .
G. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “ When
to Add Engine Oil ” under
Engine Oil on page 10 ‑ 7 . H. Engine Oil Dipstick (Out of
View). See “ Checking Engine
Oil ” under Engine Oil on
page 10 ‑ 7 .
I. Engine Cooling Fans (Out of
View). See Cooling System on
page 10 ‑ 15 .
J. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir.
See Power Steering Fluid on
page 10 ‑ 22 .
K. Brake Master Cylinder
Reservoir. See “ Brake Fluid ”
under Brake Fluid on
page 10 ‑ 25 .
L. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block on page 10 ‑ 39 .
M. Windshield Washer Fluid
Reservoir. See “ Adding Washer
Fluid ” under Washer Fluid on
page 10 ‑ 23 .
If the vehicle is a hybrid, see the
hybrid supplement for more
information. Engine Oil To ensure proper engine
performance and long life, careful
attention must be paid to engine oil.
Following these simple, but
important steps will help protect
your investment: .
Always use engine oil approved
to the proper specification and of
the proper viscosity grade. See
“ Selecting the Right Engine Oil ”
in this section. .
Check the engine oil level
regularly and maintain the
proper oil level. See “ Checking
Engine Oil ” and “ When to Add
Engine Oil ” in this section. .
Change the engine oil at the
appropriate time. See Engine Oil
Life System on page 10 ‑ 9 . .
Always dispose of engine oil
properly. See “ What to Do with
Used Oil ” in this section.

Black plate (8,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
10-8 Vehicle Care Checking Engine Oil It is a good idea to check the engine
oil level at each fuel fill. In order to
get an accurate reading, the vehicle
must be on level ground. The
engine oil dipstick handle is a yellow
loop. See Engine Compartment
Overview on page 10 ‑ 6 for the
location of the engine oil dipstick.
Obtaining an accurate oil level
reading is essential:
1. If the engine has been running
recently, turn off the engine and
allow several minutes for the oil
to drain back into the oil pan.
Checking the oil level too soon
after engine shutoff will not
provide an accurate oil level
reading.
2. Pull out the dipstick and clean it
with a paper towel or cloth, then
push it back in all the way.
Remove it again, keeping the tip
down, and check the level. When to Add Engine Oil
If the oil is below the cross-hatched
area at the tip of the dipstick, add
1 L (1 qt) of the recommended oil
and then recheck the level. See
“ Selecting the Right Engine Oil ” in
this section for an explanation of
what kind of oil to use. For engine
oil crankcase capacity, see
Capacities and Specifications on
page 12 ‑ 2 .
Notice: Do not add too much oil.
Oil levels above or below the
acceptable operating range
shown on the dipstick are harmful
to the engine. If you find that you
have an oil level above the
operating range, i.e., the engine
has so much oil that the oil level
gets above the cross-hatched area that shows the proper
operating range, the engine could
be damaged. You should drain
out the excess oil or limit driving
of the vehicle and seek a service
professional to remove the
excess amount of oil.
See Engine Compartment Overview
on page 10 ‑ 6 for the location of the
engine oil fill cap.
Add enough oil to put the level
somewhere in the proper operating
range. Push the dipstick all the way
back in when through.
Selecting the Right Engine Oil Selecting the right engine oil
depends on both the proper oil
specification and viscosity grade.
See Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 11 ‑ 13 .
Specification
Use and ask for licensed engine oils
with the dexos1 ™ approved
certification mark. Engine oils
meeting the requirements for the
vehicle should have the dexos1

Black plate (9,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
Vehicle Care 10-9approved certification mark. This
certification mark indicates that the
oil has been approved to the dexos1
specification.
Notice: Failure to use the
recommended engine oil or
equivalent can result in engine
damage not covered by the
vehicle warranty. Check with your
dealer or service provider on
whether the oil is approved to the
dexos1 specification.
Viscosity Grade
SAE 5W ‐ 30 is the best viscosity
grade for the vehicle. Do not use
other viscosity grade oils such as
SAE 10W ‐ 30, 10W ‐ 40, or 20W ‐ 50.
If in an area of extreme cold, where
the temperature falls below − 20°F
( − 29°C), an SAE 0W ‐ 30 oil should be used. An oil of this viscosity
grade will provide easier cold
starting for the engine at extremely
low temperatures. When selecting
an oil of the appropriate viscosity
grade, always select an oil that
meets the dexos1 specification or
equivalent. See “ Specification ” for
more information.
Engine Oil Additives/Engine
Oil Flushes Do not add anything to the oil. The
recommended oils with the dexos
specification and displaying the
dexos certification mark are all that
is needed for good performance and
engine protection.
Engine oil system flushes are not
recommended and could cause
engine damage not covered by the
vehicle warranty.
What to Do with Used Oil
Used engine oil contains certain
elements that can be unhealthy for
your skin and could even cause
cancer. Do not let used oil stay on your skin for very long. Clean your
skin and nails with soap and water,
or a good hand cleaner. Wash or
properly dispose of clothing or rags
containing used engine oil. See the
manufacturer's warnings about the
use and disposal of oil products.
Used oil can be a threat to the
environment. If you change your
own oil, be sure to drain all the oil
from the filter before disposal. Never
dispose of oil by putting it in the
trash or pouring it on the ground,
into sewers, or into streams or
bodies of water. Recycle it by taking
it to a place that collects used oil.
Engine Oil Life System When to Change Engine Oil
This vehicle has a computer system
that indicates when to change the
engine oil and filter. This is based
on a combination of factors which
include engine revolutions, engine
temperature, and miles driven.
Based on driving conditions, the
mileage at which an oil change is

Black plate (10,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
10-10 Vehicle Care indicated can vary considerably. For
the oil life system to work properly,
the system must be reset every time
the oil is changed.
When the system has calculated
that oil life has been diminished, it
indicates that an oil change is
necessary. A CHANGE ENGINE
OIL SOON message comes on. See
Engine Oil Messages on page 5 ‑ 31 .
Change the oil as soon as possible
within the next 1 000 km (600 mi).
It is possible that, if driving under
the best conditions, the oil life
system might indicate that an oil
change is not necessary for up to a
year. The engine oil and filter must
be changed at least once a year
and, at this time, the system must
be reset. Your dealer has trained
service people who will perform this
work and reset the system. It is also
important to check the oil regularly
over the course of an oil drain
interval and keep it at the proper
level. If the system is ever reset
accidentally, the oil must be
changed at 5 000 km (3,000 mi)
since the last oil change.
Remember to reset the oil life
system whenever the oil is changed.
How to Reset the Engine Oil
Life System Reset the system whenever the
engine oil is changed so that the
system can calculate the next
engine oil change. Always reset the
engine oil life to 100% after every oil
change. It will not reset itself. To
reset the system:
1. Display OIL LIFE REMAINING
on the DIC.
2. Press and hold the SET/RESET
button on the DIC for more than
five seconds. The oil life will
change to 100%.
If the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message comes back on when the
vehicle is started, the engine oil life
system has not reset. Repeat the
procedure. Automatic Transmission
Fluid When to Check and Change
Automatic Transmission Fluid It is usually not necessary to
check the transmission fluid level.
The only reason for fluid loss is a
transmission leak or overheating the
transmission. If a small leak is
suspected, then use the following
checking procedures to check the
fluid level. However, if there is a
large leak, then it may be necessary
to have the vehicle towed to a
dealer and have it repaired before
driving the vehicle further.
Notice: Use of the incorrect
automatic transmission fluid may
damage the vehicle, and the
damages may not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Always use
the automatic transmission fluid
listed in Recommended Fluids
and Lubricants on page 11 ‑ 13 .